Water wheel driven brush



Feb.6, 1951 w. F. BQYLE 2,540,240

WATER WHEEL DRIVEN BRUSH Eiled July 29, 194e Patented Fel). 6,

UNITED STATES lPATENT OFFICE 2540,24() A WATER WHEEL DaTvEN BRUSH William F. Boyl'ea Mill Valley, Calif., assigner to The Pelton Water Wheel- 'Compavny, San Francisco, Calin, a corporationofCalifornia Application July 29, 1946, Serial No. 686,868

My invention relates to means for converting the energy of fluid under pressure into mechanical work and is especially concerned with a means impelled by water for driving a tool such as a brush. More particularly thev invention is concerned withv a water wheel driven rotary brush especially useful in washing large windows or other surfaces in which not only a washing fluid, but a scrubbing action is necessary to secure the desired result.

It is an object of my invention to provide an improved power device.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for utilizing a pressure uid both as a washing agent andY as a driving agent.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a power device in which the actuating fluid is converted into a fine spray.

Another object of the invention, is vto provide Y means for assisting in conducting the spray to 3 claims. (or 154-29) accordance with my invention, the top portion s of the casing being removed to disclose the interior construction.

Figure 2 is a cross section the planes of which are indicated by the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

In its preferred form the power device of my invention includes a casing having a lateral aperture therein, within which is installed a nozzle for discharging a uid `iet, such as a water jet, against a water wheel which is driven by the jet and is effective to convert the jet into a spray discharging from the casing through the lateral aperture. Encompassing the aperture is a tool such as an annular brush effective in connection with the spray to wash a surface and revolved by a suitable connection extending through the aperture to the water wheel.

While the power device of my invention can be embodied in a number of variant forms, it has been successfully embodied in the form shown in the accompanying drawings in which the design is especially adapted for use in washing windows or the like and is made of a general size and weight to be readily handled by a user. The structure includes a casing generally designated 6 having a base 1 and a cap 8 secured together by iastenings 9 and conjointly defining a chamber Il.. .Projecting into the chamber is a nozzle [Z secured in place by a threaded tting I3 and having av connection lll extending to any source Qi a suitable fluid such as water under pressure. The, interior end of the nozzle isv provided with ajet aperture i6' so that when fluid under pressure is discharged from the nozzle,v a high velocity jet of water issues therefrom. Preferably the contour of the casing 6 and also of the connection Hl is such that` they are conveniently grasped by the handv of a user for portability of the structurev and for mobility in use.

, Disposed within the chamber ll, and arranged in a. Suitable, location therein` to intersect the jet issuing from the, nozzle, IE, is a water Wheel generally designated [8. rIh-s water wheel is preferably of the Pelton type and comprises a central shait [9 appropriately journaled at its opposite, ends in the, two casing portions l and 8'. On the, Shaft lil is mounted a pair oi facing discs 2l, and 22 between them securing in position a plurality of` individual buckets 23 arranged around the. periphery of the discs. and disposed with their splitter sections 213 coincident with the median, plane oi the nozzle i6A and so. that the axis, o i `the-nozzle is substantially tangent to the discs 2l. and 22..` With this arrangement, the jet issuing from the nozzlel i6. loses most of its energy to the water wheel thereby rotating it and its shaft, I9.- Furthermore... the jet, is. broken un or 'converted' into an extremely fine fog-like spray. The quantity of fluid utilized with a water wheel of this type is sufficiently small and the energy transfer is such that the resultant spray fills substantially the entire interior of the chamber Il.

To rid the chamber of the resulting mist and to utilize the spray in the washing operation, the casing section 1 on one side is formed with a circular aperture 26 of considerable extent bounded by a liange 21 the interior surface 28 of which is of an approximate Venturi contour. Encompassing the aperture 26 is a tool generally designated 3l, in this instance a brush. The brush base 32 is an annulus co-axial with the aperture 2S and contains a number of rows of bristles 34. These bristles are likewise in annular contour and dene a plane surface 36 for contact with the surface to be cleaned by the unit.

To secure the tool, there is provided a hanged rim 31 to which the brush is fastened by screws 38 and which in turn is integral with a spider 3S) including a hub 4I. A drive shaft Q2 extends axially through the aperture 26 and is mounted in the casing 8. To it the hub lll is Secured by a pin 43. The relationship of the rim 31 and the ange 21 is such that because of the gradually diverging contour of the rim 3'! and of the base 32, during rotation of the tool 32 an eduction or suction due to centrifugal force is exerted on the interior chamber Il. Thus there is a tendency due to rotation of the brush to withdraw from the interior of the housing the mist or spray which results from the operation of the water Wheel.

In order` to produce an appropriate rotation of the tool and to provide the spray-educting operation, the shaft 42 is on its side away from the aperture 26, and Within the chamber l I on the side of the nozzle and water wheel away from the aperture 26, provided with a master gear 46. This gear is secured to the shaft by a pin 4'1 and meshes with a pinion 48 also disposed on the same side of the nozzle and water Wheel and itself secured by a pin 49 to a lay shaft 5I appropriately mounted in the portions 'I and 8 of the casing. Revolving with the pinion 48 is a spur gear 52 Secured on the shaft by a pin 53 and in its turn meshing with a pinion 54 fast on the Water wheel shaft I9. Through this gear train, Which is 1ubricated by the mist or spray obtaining within the casing l I, the relatively high rotational speed of the water wheel is reduced to an appropriate speed of rotation of the tool or brush 32.

With this arrangement, when water pressure is supplied through the connection I4 and the implement is grasped in the hand of a user, the issuing jet of water is broken up into a very fine mist or spray, the water wheel is revolved and in turn rotates the brush 32 to assist in Withdrawing the spray or mist from the casing and to distribute it centrifugally due to rotation of the brush onto and over the surface being cleaned. The water wheel is ecient enough and the gear reduction is effective enough to furnish the brush with suicient power in relation to the water used that even though considerable pressure is exerted against the surface 36, the brush is still r0- tated fast enough to provide an effective cleansing action with the discharged spray.

I claim:

1. A power device comprising a casing having an aperture therein, a nozzle in said casing for discharging a Water jet and disposed over said aperture, a divided bucket water Wheel journaled in said casing partially over said opening in a position to be driven by said jet and to divide said jet into two spray portions one of which discharges directly through said aperture, an annular brush journaled on said casing surrounding said aperture directly in the path of said one spray portion, and means extending through said aperture for connecting said water wheel to the brush to rotate said brush.

2. A power device comprising a casing having an aperture therein, a nozzle in said casing for discharging a water jet and disposed over said aperture, adivided bucket Water wheel journaled in said casing partially over said opening in a position to intercept said jet adjacent the center of said aperture and to divide said jet into two spray portions one of which discharges directly through said aperture, and an annular brush journaled on said casing in a position directly to receive centrally said one spray portion from said intercepted jet.

3. A power device comprising a casing dening a chamber having an outlet aperture therein, a nozzle extending into said chamber and disposed over said aperture for discharging a Water jet across said aperture, a divided bucket water Wheel disposed Within said chamber and extending over said aperture to intercept said jet and deflect water from said jet into two spray portions one of which travels directly through said aperture, an annular brush journaled on said casing surrounding said aperture and directly in the path of said one portion of Water deected by said water wheel, and means for connecting said water wheel to the brush to rotate said brush. f

WILLIAM F. BOYLE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the die of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 661,277 Rix Nov. 6, 1900 1,055,572 Thompson Mar. 1l, 1913 1,433,160 Shoemaker Oct. 24, 1922 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 18,935 Great Britain 1890 4,160 Great Britain 1912 345,861 Great Britain Apr. 2, 1931 

